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Episode 119 (31st January 1962)
Plot Ken borrows a typewriter from a woman in Grange Street and tells Dennis that he's using it to write an article. Harry gets annoyed when Dennis is late returning from walking Lucky Lolita on the Red Rec. Dennis confesses that he's "borrowed" £5 from Elsie in the hope of winning £30 but she won't be paying for her Spanish holiday for months. Len runs Lucky down to the dog track in his van. Annie gently nags Jack that he will be away for several hours to watch one race and drinking while she's left alone to man the bar, although neither expects a full house due to the race. Ena agrees to accompany Minnie and Martha to the race although she thinks they'll be entering "the fleshpots of Babylon". Concepta is given the night off by Annie so she can attend the race. Len turns up with the minibus to take Harry, Concepta, Frank, Jack, Albert, Ena, Minnie, Martha to the stadium. Dennis is late joining them as he can't find his shoes. He is shocked that to hear that Elsie intends to book the holiday on Monday. The minibus sets off. Ken is one of Annie's few customers, buying cigarettes. She asks him about his writing but he's cagey about what he's actually writing. Dennis tries to get his £5 stake back off Len but is told the bet has already been placed. Minnie thinks a tic-tac man is waving specially at her. Albert puts a bet on. Elsie ventures into the Rovers for the first time in weeks to buy cigarettes and Annie apologises to her for the things she said about Dennis. The residents get excited as Lucky is put into her trap although Dennis is a bag of nerves and closes his eyes throughout the race. The finish is a close-run thing and they have to wait for the result to be posted on the board. At No.11, Elsie discovers her money is missing from the vase and throws it across the room in anger. Lucky is declared the winner and a delighted Dennis gives a shocked Ena a big hug. Len drags him off to go and collect his winnings. Cast Regular cast *Kenneth Barlow - William Roache *Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie *Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis *Concepta Hewitt - Doreen Keogh *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson *Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton *Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix Guest cast None Places *Coronation Street *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *7 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway *11 Coronation Street - Back room *Dog stadium Notes *Ena Sharples berates Frank Barlow for the slow service of the Post Office and Frank retorts that he and his colleagues are working to rule. This was a real-life, month-long dispute in January 1962 by the Union of Post Office Workers in protest against the government's "pay pause". *A member of the production crew, complete with his headphones on, can be seen reflected in the windows of Len Fairclough's minibus. *Several location film sequences show crowds at the dog stadium and the race itself although the main scenes of the cast in a reserved part of the stand were enacted in a studio set but with no extras due to the Equity actors' strike. It's not known if the film sequences were stock footage or were specially filmed for the episode. *''TV Times'' synopsis: The residents set off for an outing at the races. Ena and Martha have to restrain Minnie's gambling fever. Dennis Tanner spends a nerve-wracking half-hour and Concepta has a change of heart. *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 7,655,000 homes (2nd place). Category:1962 episodes